Whether by car, train, or boat, it is often best to transport your animals in a container for everyone’s safety. Although not all of our little pets are very happy to be inside a cage; we can make it more enjoyable.
A rigid/semi-soft container
Choosing the container for your pet is always difficult, as the possibilities are immense. Therefore, we must first think about the use we will make of it and the morphology of the animal. If your pet is large, the cage should be rigid, however, if the animal is small, a rigid or semi-rigid cage will be fine for him. Indeed, I do not recommend cages too flexible, which do not hold in the long run and end up bending (especially if your pet tends to lie on it …).
Then you have to think, as said before, about how you are going to use it. Indeed, if the animal is intended to travel in the plane’s hold, the cage will have to be IATA certified, and comply with the rules of the various airlines. If the animal travels in the cabin, the container will not have to be required to be IATA-approved, however, it will have to comply with airline rules, some of which prohibit flexible containers, others prohibiting rigid containers.
Getting used to the container
The ideal is to get your pet used to the cage when socializing. Still eager for discovery, it will be easier to introduce him to this place and get used to it! To do this, it is important to place the container open and accessible in a place of his dwelling, which will allow him to go see it by himself.
In addition, you can encourage your pet by putting a few treats inside. By doing this the animal will feel rewarded, but you can also encourage it with cuddles!
Finally, there are now anti-stress sprays for animals. These sprays are specially designed for transportation and help our animals relax during our travels. It is therefore possible to use one of these products, if your pet can’t get used to the cage.
Make it comfortable
The animal must also feel at home inside the cage, so as not to feel uncomfortable. That’s why he has to have space, he has to be able to get up, turn, lie down comfortably and easily.
During the trip, be careful not to pay too much attention to the animal, because even if it seems natural, it may find it abnormal. Indeed, this too much attention will give him the alert, and give him a reason to be stressed. If you are stressed, he will understand that he too must be.
Toys are not welcome in the cage, as they could cause suffocation during the trip, or discomfort for him. However, there is relaxing music for some animals, so it is possible, if you travel by car, to put this type of music (for example for cats, and not too loud either) to help them relax!
Finally a good little cushion at the bottom of the cage will allow him to be comfortable and take a nap until the finish!
Which container to choose for my cat or dog?
If you have a small dog or cat. A semi-rigid container will be perfect. For example, Bobby’s Parisian bag is very durable, and of high quality. However, if you want to put a smaller budget, the Cat’s Fashion bag gets good reviews too.
If you have a large dog or cat, a rigid container will be recommended, plus if the animal is going to travel in the hold of an airplane, the cage must be IATA certified. For example this one.
If you are travelling with a reptile, there are also multiple containers for reasonable prices, such as this one, offered by the Trixie brand.
For an exotic pet, depending on its size, it is possible to use a container suitable for cats and dogs. However, there are also specific containers, such as this one, which are not necessarily approved for airlines.
